Education

There are 11 schools in the Carbon Valley area including preschools, charter schools, elementary schools, a K-8 and Frederick High School.

Public School Districts

The St. Vrain Valley School District is the eighth largest in the state. In 2013 Superintendent Don Haddad was named National Superintendent of the year and the district is regularly honored with statewide awards for excellence. Its prestigious K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program uses the Stanford University Institute of Design’s “Design Thinking” approach. The program includes a partnership with CU Boulder’s School of Engineering under which STEM Academy students with good grades and high test scores are guaranteed admission to CU’s College of Applied Sciences. Focusing on long-term success for students, the school district supports opportunities for students to earn college credit before leaving high school. An example of this is the CU Succeed program offered through Frederick High School and the concurrent enrollment programs with Front Range Community College, Aims Community College and Colorado State University. Additionally, the district is offering the state’s first P-TECH school. P-TECH, or Pathways in Technology Early College High School, is a new model of education connecting high school, college, and the world of work through college and industry partnerships. It’s a model that allows students to earn a high school diploma as well as an Associates of Applied Science degree, essentially paying for two years of college.

Weld County School District RE-8’s Quest Academy is a K-8, core knowledge magnet school. The school was founded in 2005 for students seeking challenge and rigor. With smaller than average class size, Academy students regularly perform above average in every subject at every grade level. The temporary school location is located in the Sweetgrass neighborhood. Voters in 2016 approved a bond mill levy to construct a new school at the southwest corner of Speedway Boulevard and York Street in Dacono. The new school is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2018.

Higher Education

Higher education becomes more affordable in Weld County through the Bright Future Grant Program. Set up as a workforce development fund, the Weld County Bright Future Grant Program is a tuition assistance program for Weld County high school graduates, GED recipients and Honorable Discharged U.S. Veterans seeking post secondary education or training from an accredited higher education institution or certified training program.